[Malignant lymphoma: REAL classification to new WHO classification].

The Revised European-American Classification of Lymphoid Neoplasms(REAL) proposed in 1994 represented a new paradigm for the classification of lymphomas. This classification emphasized that each disease was a distinct entity, defined by a constellation of clinical and laboratory features, i.e., morphology and genetic features, immunophenotype, clinical presentation, and course. And it also noted that the site(s) of presentation were a signpost for important underlying biologic distinctions. A new WHO classification is planed to be proposed, re-categorizing entities of the REAL classification. Now, WHO members planed to publish the new classification as the bluebook of WHO at first in 1998 and now in 2000. This paper reports mainly different points in the new WHO classification of malignant lymphoma from the REAL classification.